Reference

Mark 16:9-16
Because He Lives

Because He Lives Mark 16:9-16 Emmanuel Christian Church 3.31.24 INTRODUCTION: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ makes some incredible things possible! Because He lives, We can be freed from the death sentence of our own sin. Romans 8:2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. We can be free from our fear of death. Hebrews 2:14 (Jesus) destroyed him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil — 15 and freed those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. We can look forward to a bright future.Romans 8:17 “…we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Because He lives, we can have these promises, and more! But notice I said “CAN”, not “WILL”. God has made the promises possible and available to us through His Son Jesus, but wether or not we receive the promises still depends on us! So what, could possibly left for us to do? Jesus has come in flesh, lived the perfect life, sacrificed Himself for our sin, and raised Himself from the dead by His own power! What could possibly be left for US to do? One word sums it up: “BELIEVE” Mark 16:9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Mark 16:12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Mark 16:14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Before us are three scenes. Common to each of them is the challenge to BELIEVE. Our first scene involves… Mary Magdalene We know three things about Mary Magdalene:

  • Jesus had freed her from the possession of 7 demons.
  • She had stood nearby as Jesus died on the cross.
  • She was the first person to see Jesus after His resurrection from the dead.
  • Ironic that the first person to see Jesus wasn’t one of His inner circle (Peter, James, or John), or even one of the other eleven Apostles!
  • The first one to witness Jesus’ resurrection was this obscure woman with a bad track record!
  • But, we also know that she did not doubt, but immediately believed Jesus had come back from the dead.
  • Mary’s belief caused her to do two things:
  • Worship the risen Lord. Johns records the tender scene in his Gospel…John 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
  • Mary’s belief then caused her to share the news. Again John records…John 20:18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. Ironically, Mark tells us: “When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.” This brings us to our SECOND SCENE, that of… The two disciples
  • Of these two disciples little is known. Luke’s Gospel gives us the most detail… Luke 24:13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. Luke 24:17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” Luke 24:19“What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” Luke 24:25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. Luke 24:30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
  • Mark in his Gospel tells us that once again, the Apostles, Jesus’ closest friends DID NOT BELIEVE THE NEWS! This brings us to our FINAL SCENE: The Eleven Apostles
  • It is at this very point that Jesus walks through solid walls and appears in the presence of His Apostles! Mark 16:14 …Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. Conclusion: WOW! Jesus’ own Apostles and “their stubborn refusal to believe”! Their failure to believe wasn’t for a lack of information- before Jesus died, he told them all EXACTLY what He was going to do as well as when He was going to do it! Their failure to believe wasn’t for a lack of witnesses. Already, His resurrection had been established by not only one or two witnesses, but by the law’s requirement of THREE WITNESSES! Their unbelief was a simple matter of their own choice to NOT believe! With Jesus literally looking them in the eye, they HAD to believe! The very next words from the mouth of the Resurrected Jesus, CHANGED EVERYTHING! Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. So transformational was that moment in their lives that each of them, with the exception of John, died a martyrs death rather than deny their faith in Christ. ALL of them dedicated the remainder of their lives to the commission Christ gave them. That Great Commission remains our challenge and obligation today. If you have never been born again through faith, repentance and baptism into Christ it is your personal challenge right this moment. If you have participated in that rebirth christ offers, then you have the obligation to share that message with the people in your sphere of influence.